"What are you guys doing?" asked Delano as he walked into the computer lab. His friends were whispering excitedly to each other, and they barely glanced up at him.
"Wooster just found a wallet in the parking lot," Kim exclaimed. "The wallet has $200 in it, and we are talking about the best way to spend all this money."
"You can't spend the money!" replied Delano. "You have to try to find the owner. Someone might need that money."
"Yeah, someone like me," Wooster said. "I want to buy the new World of Fighting Skill upgrade for my computer. Plus, I think we should all treat ourselves to ice cream cones at Jenn & Berry's."
"You're always right, Wooster," said Lystra. "We should definitely keep the money."
"This is wrong," Delano told his friends resolutely. "You wouldn't like it if someone stole your money."
"It's not stealing," said Kim. "Wooster says it's finders-keepers." Delano couldn't believe his ears. The four of them had been friends for years, and he had always gone along with Wooster's crazy schemes. Stealing a person's wallet, however, was another matter entirely.
"Listen, Del," Wooster said, standing in front of his friend. "If you don't go along with the group, then we can't hang out. No one wants to be around a goody two-shoes." Delano felt his stomach ache with the pain of losing his closest friends.
"My father always taught me that an honest life is the only one worth living," Delano told his friends. He walked out of the computer lab with a heavy heart. He had never disagreed openly with Wooster before, and he was surprised to find that he had the courage to follow his convictions.
"What luck!" laughed Wooster as he eagerly counted the cash one more time. "Let's go spend this money before someone comes looking for the wallet."
"That wallet looks familiar," Principal Jimenez said as she walked through the door of the lab. "I dropped my wallet this morning, and I've been looking for it all day. Would anyone like to explain why it wasn't returned to me as soon as it was found?" Wooster turned pale and looked to his friends for help. Kim and Lystra were staring at the ground and refused to answer.
"Let's have a talk in my office," the principal said grimly. "I hope you all realize that this school has a zero tolerance policy against theft. You will most likely be suspended for your actions."
"I only wanted to have a little fun," Wooster muttered to himself. "I never thought when I picked up the wallet that I'd wind up getting suspended." Delano watched sadly from the hallway as his former friends entered the principal's office. For once, he was glad that he wasn't a part of their group.
5
Which of the following themes is communicated in the passage?
A.
People don't realize how important money is until it is taken away from them.
B.
Friends should not let foolish disagreements damage their friendship.
C.
People can control their actions but not the consequences of their actions.
D.
Authority figures often place unreasonable expectations on young people.